Gaming News · Issue #49 · 25 September 2026

TL;DR

• ARC Raiders is testing a PvE-only toggle from October 13 to 20, giving extraction squads a co-op lane with no player damage.
• Bungie admits Marathon fell short and promises to un-vault Destiny 2 campaigns, destinations, and raids.
• Apex Legends swaps to EA Javelin anti-cheat on September 29, so expect a bumpy first week in ranked.
• Control Resonant launches at an 84 Metacritic, and EA Sports FC 27 is out worldwide with a new social hub.
• Epic is giving away two games to keep until October 1, and Xbox Free Play Days opens The Division 2 through the 27th.

🎯 Extraction shooters

ARC Raiders Will Test a PvE-Only Toggle From October 13 to 20

Embark Studios confirmed on September 24 that ARC Raiders, its PvPvE extraction shooter, will run a limited PvE-only test from October 13 to 20. A new toggle lets you queue into co-op matches where Raiders cannot damage each other, though the robotic ARC enemies still can. Embark said player data pushed the call. Loot payouts drop slightly in PvE to offset the lower risk, and the toggle disappears when the test window ends.

Player impact: If you bounced off ARC Raiders because human ambushes gutted your runs, this is the week to try it. Squads should test whether shared loot in a no-PvP lobby is worth the reduced payout before Embark decides if it stays.

Sources: ARC Raiders (official) · GameSpot

Bungie Admits Marathon Fell Short and Pledges to Rebuild Destiny 2

Bungie posted The Next Chapter for Bungie on September 23, admitting its extraction shooter Marathon reached far fewer players than hoped and needs to grow past a strict PvPvE loot loop. The studio wants to move it from a winner-take-all fight toward something more welcoming. It also promised to restore Destiny 2 campaigns, destinations, and raids it removed years ago. Marathon's Nightfall update lands in October, with the Symbiosis update following in December.

Player impact: Marathon holdouts get a roadmap, but the game's identity is shifting under them. Destiny 2 players who quit over vaulted content now have a reason to reinstall and check what actually comes back.

Sources: Bungie.net · The FPS Review

🔫 FPS

Apex Legends Swaps to EA Javelin Anti-Cheat on September 29

Respawn confirmed on September 24 that Apex Legends switches its PC anti-cheat to EA Javelin, EA's in-house system, on September 29. EA says Javelin gives its team faster visibility into emerging cheats and more flexibility to build detections as hacks change. Respawn also flagged continued work on console cheat detection, including server-side models that watch for controller-based aim tools. The change hits every PC player the moment they patch.

Player impact: Cheaters have made ranked Apex miserable, so a new anti-cheat is the fix players have begged for. Expect a rocky first week, since anti-cheat swaps often bring false bans and launch bugs before they settle.

Sources: GameRiv · AltChar

🆕 Just released

Control Resonant Launches to an 84 Metacritic and a Day-One Patch

Remedy's Control Resonant, the sequel to 2019's Control, launched September 24 on PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. It sits at 84 on Metacritic for PS5 from more than 60 reviews, with 56 of 60 critics positive. This time you play Dylan, brother of original hero Jesse, and the reality-bending action moves out of one building into New York City with a heavier melee focus. A day-one patch shipped alongside launch.

Player impact: If you loved Control's telekinetic combat, reviews say this is a worthy follow-up worth buying now. Newcomers can jump in without the first game, but download the day-one patch before you plan to play.

Sources: Metacritic · Tech4Gamers

🆓 Free to try

Xbox Free Play Days Opens The Division 2 and PGA Tour 2K25 Through September 27

Xbox's weekly Free Play Days runs from September 24 to late on September 27. PGA Tour 2K25 and The Division 2, Ubisoft's online looter-shooter, are playable for all Xbox Live members with no subscription needed, while Young Suns and The Escapists 2 require Game Pass. Progress carries over if you buy the game later. Free Play Days is a timed trial, so nothing here is free to keep once the window closes.

Player impact: The Division 2 is a full looter-shooter you can sample free this weekend, a low-risk way to see if the endgame grind still holds up. Buy during the trial and any progress plus discounts stick.

Sources: Pure Xbox

📦 Other

Microsoft Cuts More Xbox Studio Jobs and Folds Its Publishing Arms Together

Microsoft ran another round of Xbox layoffs the week of September 22, hitting developers at The Coalition, World's Edge, Treyarch, and Raven Software, per reports and staff posts. It also moved to consolidate its publishing arms, Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and Activision Blizzard, into a tighter structure. The tracker gaminglayoffs.com counted 10,863 games-industry job losses in 2026 so far, up 147 percent from the same point in 2025.

Player impact: Cuts at Treyarch and Raven hit the teams behind Call of Duty, and The Coalition makes Gears of War, so update pace and quality on those games are the real risk. Fewer people usually means slower fixes and thinner content.

Sources: Pure Xbox · Massively Overpowered

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6 stories in this issue. Same digest goes out in the Warhogy Discord — reply to this email if there is a story I missed.